The Castle of Forgotten Memories
by Aison Armigen
Summary: The sequel to Delving Into Unknown Territory, Axel contemplates and carries out the destruction of the 5 Order members in CoM. AxelxRoxas hints.


Yatta! Aison finished something! (after a while ;) 

This is the "sequel" to Delving Into Unknown Territory. (basically I quote it three times)

Okay. SPOILERS FOR... Chain of Memories. Heh. The dialogue between Sora, Mar, and Axel, and later Zexion, Axel, and Nisemono are directly from the game.

Nisemono, if any don't know, is the Riku Replica. The Japanese version named him this, quite literally "imposter".

AxelxRoxas hints. So kawaii.

Oh, and I can't remember when Roxas left the Order/Organization- before or after CoM. So in this, he left before.

Hopefully this is worth the wait. Enjoy.

(KH and all that includes Disney/ SquareEnix)

The Castle of Forgotten Memories

"_You know, I really do hope everyone useless here perishes.  
__All the ones who play with fire without knowing how to control the flames."_

That could imply any and all of the so-called Order. More like chaos. Nothing made actual sense. Everyone was mad here, in their own psychotic ways. Axel shook his head. It had been a week since Zexion had unsuccessfully tried coming on to him, and a week since he said those words. But they stuck in his head.

"_It'd be nice if we could get rid of everyone that slows us down._"

He sat on his bed, staring at the floor. Everyone slowed him down. They played their games from their seats of power, never truly doing anything that would cause their usurpation. He held no affection for any of them. Roxas had been his… friend. And he wasn't here anymore. So there was no one important. All could burn in the flames they had built up around them.

The kindling had already been set. He just needed a spark.

He blinked. Was he really contemplating this? There was no purpose really. What use would there be in destroying the Order members here?

Simple really. He might have a temper but when he couldn't automatically use it he reverted to another tactic.

Don't get mad; get even.

Xemnas had been the one who lured Roxas into thinking he should go look for Sora. Xemnas, who believed he "owned" the Organization and everyone in it. It would be quite a disintegration in power if almost half the members suddenly fell….

Axel suddenly laughed. It was a fantasy that's all. Nothing would ever come of it. He learned long ago things never went as planned.

A rap came at his door.

"Axel? Are you in there?"

Axel rolled his eyes. The female, Larxene. How annoying.

The door opened and she came in. His smile disappeared and he stared at her.

"What? You didn't answer, how was I supposed to know you were in here?"

"You come in my room a lot." A statement. She had made that obvious by just walking in.

"You never said I couldn't." She stood with her hands on her hips. Why she thought everyone would treat her special he didn't understand at all.

"I never said you could." He stood up. "What do you want?"

"Marluxia and I are having a little meeting on the third floor. We thought since you weren't like those high and mighty old guys you would want to join us."

"Why?" His eyes bored into her. She was being suspicious.

"Because I thought you might actually have balls." She stared back. Arrogant bitch.

He smiled suddenly, throwing her off-guard.

"I have a lot of things you will never see." He walked past her into the hallway and started towards the third floor.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Walking back towards his room from the impromptu meeting he almost laughed aloud. The two had all but said they were planning to take over the Order. The two now-lowest, and dull-brained, members. What a laugh! What did they hope to accomplish, freedom from the higher ups? Heh. There were always people that ruled you; you just had to find ways to have fun around their rules.

But… they did leave an open opportunity for him… to assist them of course. Destroy the unworthy Order members, get rid of the ones that no longer served a purpose. He had no interest in capturing and manipulating the Keyblade Master with Marluxia's pet shadow, but they didn't need to know that for awhile.

Should he get involved with their doomed plan? Could he start his own plan and orchestrate the rest at Castle Oblivion's demise?

Axel grinned his crazy grin. His green eyes flashed excitedly.

Of course he could.

--------------------------------------------------------------

A couple were simple. Taunt Larxene into attacking Sora, instigate and make Lexaeus think he could coerce or destroy Riku. His work was done for him. He was ordered to kill Vexen, so that was a freebie.

The tricky one was Marluxia. He had already figured out somewhat what was going on.

"You're a fool among fools to show your face here, traitor!"

"Traitor?" Axel smiled. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Marluxia spread his arms out in frustration. "Why did you let her go? You and your cursed meddling! He was ours! The Keyblade master could have been our slave!"

Axel rolled his eyes. "Right, your big plan. You use Naminé to rewrite Sora's memory piece by piece. He becomes her puppet. Then, using Naminé and Sora, you and Larxene overthrow the Organization. Did I get it right? 'Cause that would make YOU the traitor, Marluxia. Not me." Not including a couple of little pushes from him to make Larxene and Lexaeus fall to their destruction.

Marluxia's mouth fell open in disbelief. "…But you eliminated Vexen!"

"Yeah, come to think of it. So what? All I did was weed the garden. And I had to be sure you two trusted me." So you wouldn't get in the way.

Marluxia narrowed his eyes. "I see...a double agent. You've been investigating our conspiracy from the start."

Axel grinned slightly. Marluxia had no idea. He was not a double agent, a triple agent if called anything, but he had his reasons. No more playing with fire for any of them.

"Moving on... I believe you ordered me to 'rid us of our traitors.'" He summoned his weapons. "I always follow orders, Marluxia."

Axel's smile fell and he grew serious. "Larxene paid the price for disloyalty. You're next, Marluxia. In the name of the Organization you betrayed, I will annihilate you!" Always good to have an excuse for slaughter.

Marluxia smiled slyly. "Go ahead, then – strike!"

Suddenly Namine appeared between them. Axel stopped for a second. He held no grudge against the girl, and she had even assisted him, without knowing it of course. But, Marluxia needed to be taken down.

"What kind of game is this? You think cowering behind Naminé will stop me? Think again. Your little mascot can keep you company in the void. Farewell, Marluxia."

Marluxia's smile grew. "Oh, I think not. Are you listening, Sora?"

Sora and his cohorts ran into the room.

"Huh?" Axel was in complete shock. The Keyblade Master he had not factored in. He had had only small amounts of contact with Roxas's other half for that very reason, yet he did not want… Sora, to be hurt or become Marluxia's pawn. Which furthered his own reasons for destroying Marluxia. And now, here Sora was, seeing Axel prepared to destroy Namine. Great. Marluxia was not helping of course.

"Axel is willing to harm Namine just to get at me! Destroy him!"

Sora got into a battle stance and Marluxia took the opportunity to disappear with Namine. Axel sighed inwardly.

"Well, well, Sora. Marluxia made you his puppet after all."

Sora had the look of stubborn resolve on his face. "Never. After I finish you, he's next."

Sora's look mimicked the look The Wind of Dancing Flames had seen on Roxas many a time. He smiled, for reasons Sora would never know.

"Hmm... Listen, Sora. We've got more in common than you think. I'd rather not fight you... but I do have a reputation to think of!"

So they fought. And Sora won. Axel was more pleased than he would say.

"You're not half bad. Looks like it was worth saving your hide after all."

Sora started. "Saving me? What do you mean?"

"Sorry…" Axel smiled warmly at Sora. "I'd hate to kill the suspense."

He disappeared with Sora's voice calling his name ringing in his ears. His voice, all too much like Roxas, and totally different at the same time. He slumped in his room and covered his face with his hands. The blonde's smiling face haunted his mind.

"Roxas…."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Zexion's demise was much more entertaining. And long awaited.

Axel had watched Zexion's doomed battle with Riku. The 'darking' as Zexion had so aptly put it, was far too talented to be taken down by Zexion. He was defeated and humiliated. And weakened. A perfect opportunity. Axel waited in Zexion's room for him to return. He finally did, mumbling loudly to himself.

"What, what IS he! No one's ever worn the darkness the way he does. It's NOT POSSIBLE!"

Axel smiled at Zexion. Zexion looked relieved at seeing Axel then saw who was next to him.

"Waaah! Riku!"

Axel inclined his head at Nisemono and the two stepped forward. Zexion was incoherent.

"Oh... Oh, yes, of course. Vexen's replica." Axel said nothing. Zexion rambled on. "Good thinking. We can use this Riku to defeat the real one." Still nothing. Zexion looked nervous. "Axel?"

Axel looked in contempt at the pitiful prideful man. Maybe he should say thank you, for giving him this idea. Maybe he should add more insult, and tell him he would never have thought of him in the way he wanted, that Axel only felt that way for one person. Maybe he should just tell Zexion that he was going to die alone, and he was never going to be able to feel the way that love feels.

"_Have you ever loved someone, or something even, Zexion? Have you ever cared more for someone else than yourself? Have you ever not betrayed someone you say you care for?"_

And he cared nothing for Zexion. So he would say no words of explanation to him, nothing at all, for a nobody. He turned to Nisemono.

"Say. It must be hard now that you know you're not real. I bet you'd LIKE to be real."

The Riku replica nodded slowly. "Yeah." He had no idea why Axel had brought him here and would never understand why he did this.

Axel grinned insanely. "Well, you can. All you need is strength that the real Riku doesn't have. Get that, and you can be a new person, your OWN person. Not Riku, not anybody else. You won't be someone else's copy. You'll be you." Such heartening words! If only he really cared.

Zexion smelled that his death was here in the form of the two. "AXEL!" Axel, the one he cared for, who had scorned him. No…. "What are you telling him!"

Axel ignored him. "You know, I bet he's as good a place to start as any."

Zexion straightened, trying to grasp a fragment of his lost composure. "Have you lost your mind!" The composure shattered and his eyes pleaded with Axel. _Don't…._

Axel turned his eyes to Zexion for the first time. His face was smiling warmly but his eyes burned with… Hate? Anger? Pain? Zexion would never know.

"Sorry, 'Zexy'. Saving you doesn't seem half as entertaining as observing Sora and Riku."

Axel waved his hand in a dismissive gesture and walked towards the door. Nisemono stared at Zexion then started towards him. He smiled and his face became predatory. Zexion felt fear.

"No… STOP!"

Axel continued walking out the door, feeling dissatisfied. He stopped down the hallway and leaned against the wall for a moment. It was done. That was it. Five Order members terminated.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Riku himself took care of the cleaning up of Nisemono. DiZ abducted Namine, so Axel didn't have to kill her. Riku had left with the King after speaking with both Namine and DiZ. And Sora and company were asleep in their little pods.

Axel leaned his forehead against the one containing Sora. His face was weary and his eyes held pain. "What was it Riku said; that you look so peaceful…. You look like him more when you sleep Keyblade Master. You look exactly as he did when he slept."

Axel remembered countless times, when the boy had visited his room, to talk or sometimes more, or just, to not to be alone. Afterwards, every time, Axel would watch his peaceful face while he slept in his arms. He would burn every aspect of his face into his memory because he always wanted to be able to remember….

Hot tears that steamed dropped unto the floor.

He never wanted to forget, but he didn't want to remember.


End file.
